


Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

by chaos_is_welcome



Category: The Last Kingdom (TV)
Genre: Character Death, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Missing Scene, TLKFFF2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:42:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24989260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaos_is_welcome/pseuds/chaos_is_welcome
Summary: For the TLKFFF prompt: Coccham squad mourns Steapa
Comments: 11
Kudos: 27
Collections: The Last Kingdom Fanfic Fest





	Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

Steapa has fallen. Finan can not believe it, as the Welsh walk the killing field around him, staring at the unrecognizable corpse of the man he had considered a friend. Steapa is face down in the grass, except he has no face any longer, or a head for that matter. Finan snarls menacingly at any of the Welshmen that come near him, and it's enough to keep them from robbing the body. 

Osferth has gone to find shovels so they can give him a proper burial. Usually the dead are left where they lie after a battle this size, or sometimes burned together, but Steapa is their friend. 

Finan still remembers the first time he met the huge man, back when he was sworn to Alfred and Finan had just come from Sverri's slave ship. Steapa had ridden with Hild and Ragnar to find Uhtred on the king's command.

They had enjoyed a love hate relationship, for often Alfred had sent Steapa to keep tabs on Uhtred, and Uhtred had no problem asking Finan to waylay the larger man.

Finan would miss him.

Sihtric comes up beside him and clasps his shoulder. "Osferth is coming up the hill," he says. "Where should we begin?"

Finan exhales. "We should ask Lady Aethelflaed, for she and Steapa were close." Finan has no intention of asking King Edward, for his Lord is furious with the turd. Sihtric nods and goes to find Uhtred so he can speak with Aethelflaed, as Sihtric would never presume to speak to the lady himself.

"Oh," comes a feminine voice beside him, and Lady Aethelflaed bows her head. "He was a loyal and true warrior," she says softly. "Uhtred says you want to bury him?"

"Ye should pick the spot, Lady," he says with a nod. 

"Steapa taught me most of what I know about fighting," she says softly. "When I was a child, he would train with me every day in the courtyard." She folds her arms and stares at the hills. She points to large oak at the edge of the forest. "There," she says, "for the tree is tall and will withstand the storms, as Steapa did in life."

Finan nods. "A good choice, Lady." He calls over young Uhtred to guard the body from the Welsh. Father Pyrlig takes two men to fell two trees to build a sledge to move Steapa's headless body, and the rest set to digging a hole in the ground that will serve as Steaps's final resting place.

The shadows are long as they finish, and those who have stayed gather around the grave as Finan, Uhtred and Father Pyrlig heaft what is left of Steapa into the hole. Young Uhtred says words for him after they fill in the dirt, and each of those gathered shares a story.

Aethelflaed begins, and she speaks of Steapa's devotion to her father, and there are tears in her eyes. Uhtred stands beside her in silent support, and he speaks of Steapa coming to the north to free him from Sverri's ship. Osferth speaks of Steapa saving him on the battlefield. Sihtric shares how he has always been touched by Steapa's faith in God. Young Uhtred blinks in surprise at this, and Finan figures the young lad is confused by Pagan admiring the faith of a Christian.

Finan smiles when it is his turn. "Steapa used to tell Uhtred he would stomp on me. He was a fearfully big man, so he mighta come mighty close to succeedin'. I am sorry we never found out who would be the best in that fight. May ye go with God, Steapa, for ye fought like a bear. We were lucky to know ye." Finan will miss the bigger man. It is a reminder that nothing is guaranteed for any of them. Life by the sword is unpredictable.

Osferth steps forward with two branches lashed together to form a cross, and they stand silently for a moment, the setting sun providing a brilliant backdrop across the field of their victory, which also was a field of death for man.

Uhtred finally nods. "On to Droitwich," he says. "We can ride for a few hours before we make camp."

Aethelflaed exhales. "I shall see my daughter tomorrow."

And so life carries on.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little thing. I hated that they at least didn't give Aethelflaed time to react... especially àfter the Season 2 discussion that he was as much her man as Alfred's.


End file.
